Meet William Scott, Dispatcher, Bus Operations: ‘I just like being able to fix things’

Transit agencies operate in a way that is reflective of an orchestra performing a concert. Each instrument has its unique rhythms, notes and compositions that come together in coordination with other instruments to create one cohesive auditory experience, all led by a maestro keeping tempo. RTD’s bus symphony can be broken down into bus routes serving as different instruments being performed by bus operators, all kept together in tempo by the bus dispatchers who serve as the maestros of the entire operation. Dispatcher William Scott is one of them.

Based out of District Shops, Scott works alongside 18 other dispatchers and three lead dispatchers, all providing round-the-clock coverage for RTD’s 126 bus routes, ensuring operators are safe and buses are running smoothly and on schedule.

Scott began his career in March 1990 as a bus operator. He spent 23 years operating buses along many routes, witnessing RTD’s evolution from providing simple local bus service to being a complex network of local and regional bus routes, introducing and expanding light rail, and implementing commuter rail service. Late in his tenure as a bus operator, Scott began cross-training to become a full-time bus dispatcher.

“I wanted to experience other areas of RTD,” he said.

At the time, Scott was interested in exploring street supervision and bus dispatch as possible career moves.

“I applied for the open street supervisor and dispatcher positions and, at the time, was awarded the dispatch position,” Scott said.

In a unique twist of fate, he was able to fill in as a street supervisor while learning the ropes of being a bus dispatcher, allowing him to experience both career paths.

“I was just trying to be a well-rounded person,” Scott said.

Scott, a Denver native, spent his childhood riding the Route 24 to Loyola grade school, which is now home to the French American School of Denver. He would also frequent Route 32, now Route 43. Riding the bus almost daily inspired him to apply to be a bus operator.

“As a kid, my family and I would go on long rides,” Scott said. “Once I became old enough to get a driver’s license and operate a vehicle, I thought, ‘Driving a bus would be great.’”

Of the many routes Scott operated, he recalls one of his favorites being Route 21.

“When Denver International Airport opened, I got an opportunity to drive one of the airport routes,” he said. “Over time, more people would move to Denver, which would create more problems with traffic to and from the airport, which led to me voting to drive on the Route 21.”

As Scott drove this route, it quickly became one of his favorites.He operated it for four years before making the transition to becoming a dispatcher.

In this role, no two days are going to be the same, creating a challenge Scott eagerly takes on every day.

“You are dealing with garage pull-ins and pull-outs, getting maintenance over to a bus right away, or getting a bus traded out, if necessary,” he said. “Then, you are dealing with situations that operators have on the road, whether they are calling in with mechanical issues or situations on the bus where a person may need paramedics to tend to them.”

In addition, Scott and his fellow dispatchers have to work through setting up detours for construction, accidents, police activity and special events, navigating rush hour traffic and major weather events.

Dispatchers such as Scott serve as liaisons between local law enforcement jurisdictions and RTD, and they field calls from many internal divisions, such as Customer Care.

“We may get a call from the city if they have a planned detour to let us know that there may be a certain area blocked for whatever reason, such as a water main break, ”he said. “You are dealing with a lot of radio and phone calls at the same time.”

When the calls start pouring into dispatch, Scott must be steadfast in prioritizing which calls take precedence over others.

“Operators can hit an emergency button on their bus for a silent alarm, which jumps their call to the top of my queue,” Scott said. “It’s based on the seriousness of the call.”

Situations that call for top prioritization include emergencies such as health-related incidents, criminal activity, fires and major accidents involving injury. In these situations, dispatchers must use excellent judgment and be swift to respond to ensure the safety of the operator and customers.

Out of all of the experiences Scott has gone through in his 34-year tenure at RTD, one that stands out the most to him was when the world shut down in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That period affected a lot of people,” he said. “There were so many unknowns and having to adapt to new situations. We were essential workers, too.”

As non-essential personnel worked from home, dispatchers did not have that luxury.They had to find ways to adapt their workspaces to accommodate social distancing guidelines, answering calls masked up and doing what they could to make the transition as easy as possible for the operators they were in contact with daily.

“We were just trying to empathize with operators,” Scott said. “They would come on the radio and discuss how they don’t feel safe around customers boarding buses without masks.”

While many things changed with the pandemic, one thing that remained the same was Scott’s passion for helping people.

“I enjoy being in a position to help and keep service moving,” he said. “Anything to help our operators navigate their day safely.”

Scott enjoys the problem-solving aspect of his job. Each day presents the opportunity for a new challenge that has never occurred before, and he enthusiastically jumps at the chance to tackle the challenge head-on.

“I just like being able to fix things,” Scott said.